Zambia’s celebrated airline Proflight Zambia Ltd has announced the appointment of veteran Boeing 737 Pilot Captain Philip Lemba with over 20,000 hours in his 24 year career as Chairman of its Board of Directors effective 26 June 2020. Capt. Lemba will replace Vincent Malambo, who served in the same capacity since 2011.
Prior to the appointment, Captain Lemba served as Proflight’s Director of Government and Industry Affairs, bringing almost four decades of experience in the aviation sector in Zambia. The genesis of Capt. Lemba’s flying career was in 1965 when he was 24 years, as one of the country’s first 10 trainee pilots. He flew as a military transport pilot with Zambian Air Force – ZAF after which he joined Zambia Airways the former national carrier before flying the Boeing 737’s for Kenya Airways in Nairobi.
“Captain Lemba is well known to all at Proflight and as one of the most senior aviators in Zambia, is well qualified to guide Proflight Zambia through this turbulent period in the history of the airline and the industry as a whole,” said Proflight Corporate Director Chitalu Kabalika.
“Capt. Lemba brings on board an incomparable wealth of experience and strategic vision to the company, having been a pioneer for many years in Zambia’s aviation industry,” said Mr Kabalika. “His lengthy tenure in the industry, in addition to his experience in governance affairs, will add unique depth to our board.”
Mr Kabalika also noted that the new board chairman’s industry experience will give Proflight valuable insight on how the airline will navigate the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that has negatively hit airlines across the world, and that his appointment is a strong endorsement of Proflight’s future prospects.
The new board chairman expressed gratitude for the appointment and said he looked forward to working with the board to take the company to new heights.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to chair Proflight’s board with Mr. Tony Irwin, whose leadership and vision as managing director have positioned the company to achieve extraordinary success over time, and to work with the entire Proflight team in continuing to evolve the company for a new stage of growth,” Capt. Lemba said.
The Kwacha Arbitrageur